Stepan Razin Kalinkin

Bottled (6.6 % abv)
Golden colour, ok head. Aroma is cooked vegetables and alcohol. Flavour is alcohol and not much more...but in a somewhat balanced way.

Pours a clouded gold with a very small off white head. Nose is of old orange peels, some alcohol, and a lot of dough. Flavor is outspoken and full. Orange citrus, a pretty noticable alcohol (though not nastily so), and a pervasive sweetness are all there. Feel is thin. Not a lot of carbonation going on here. Definitely drinkable. I had no-to-low expectations of this bottle and was pleasantly surprised. Worth trying. Possibly worth trying again. Might even be interesting to see this paired with food in some way (something other than German).

pours slightly cloudy pale orange. small white head. slight hint of a sweet tropical fruit and maybe some caramel in aroma...but very weak. i get a lot of caramel in the flavor. there is actually tons of malt in this. its light on the hops but i didn’t think was too bad. sweet and thick but not cloying.

Bottle purchased at Sam’s Wines, Downers Grove. "Lot-121" on bottle. Hey, an import bottle of the beer Russians get when they can’t afford Baltika! Well, I had to other Stepans when in Russia, and I bet this passenger is little worse. Top the pop and there’s a big whiff of heavy corn syrup. Pour it and the smell is joined by beet sugar and crushed bugs. Deep gold color that even so seems a little off, under a pillowy head. Taste is… unngh. More low-grade corn syrup. I suppose in some Bizarro planet this is in the same categary as Sam Adams Impy Pilsener, but it completely lacks the subtle balance one expects in any beer. A brick to the head has more malt and hops balance than this doggy treat. I know this is an undated import, but my previous Stepan Razins were from before Heineken bought the brewery, and you’d think there’d be some more quality control in place.

I was not timid until I tried the beer. A dark yellow appearance with a corny aroma. The flavor is very sweet and syrupy with adjuncts all up in your grill. Pretty much crap.